Rainbow Connection
by Skittles1
Summary: A songfic/retake of what happened near the end of book 5. What was Asuka Jr. thinking that night in the rain? What caused his actions?


Disclaimer: I don't own the song "Rainbow Connection" by Kenny Loggin. I don't own Saint Tail either. I only own what I write. This is based on the scene from Saint Tail book five called "The Treasure In Front of You" I tried to get the dialog to match up at the end. I haven't seen many stories telling things from Asuka Jr.'s view so I decided to try a shot at this one. As stubborn and ignorant he can be, I think the guy has a hidden side to him. My first try at a guy's point of view so please tell me how it is! Enjoy!  
  
~..*..~ Rainbow Connection ~..*..~  
  
By: Lauren  
  
"There's a treasure at the end of a rainbow"  
  
Asuka Jr. wandered the night streets. Above him, a thousands stars were lit up, twinkling with a furry of passion but the young detective couldn't see this. He couldn't see the beauty that enraptured him every night as usual. A thick layer of gray-white clouds, that appeared to be marsh mellows after being dipped in a pail of black ink, blocked out all vision of the sky. The very second when Asuka Jr. needed the consolation of the stars, they seemed to have disappeared, just like Saint Tail. Around him the dim city lights flickered, a sad excuse compared to the hidden stars. He was stumbling down a sidewalk while tall poles sent off rays of bright yellow colors that wavered ever so slightly. Moths and flies quickly attacked the light bulbs. The tiny bugs were drawn to the light, flying at it in hopes to find joy, food, or whatever they were seeking. Little did they know the doomed fate some gained from this action but at that moment, Asuka Jr. wanted to be just like the bugs. He wanted to be miniscule, tiny, disappearing from the confusing world of people and emotions. He wanted only to know instincts, the need for food, the need for warmth and the need to survive. He didn't want these strange emotions that seemed to tear away at his heart little by little. It hurt too much.  
  
~*~  
  
Why are there so many  
  
Songs about rainbows And what's on the other side Rainbows are visions  
  
~*~  
  
Why couldn't he be like the bugs? At least they had a reachable goal, something to follow or a light to fly into; at least they had some kind of direction in their short lives. Unlike them, Asuka Jr. had the ability to think about his actions, to think about his life, to think about his goals, to understand right from wrong and to think about her. Her. The girl that plagued his mind, picking away at him day by day. Actually, there were two girls. Two amazing woman that had captured his heart. Saint Tail and Meimi Haneoka. "Why do I want to capture her?" The detective questioned himself, trying to figure out just were all these months of chasing a thief was leading. No, not a thief. A heroine. But so was that little redhead who sat near him in class. To him, she was a heroine also. For as stubborn and annoying as Meimi was, she always had some kind of sweet or good intentions. Could Saint Tail and her be the same...? No. It was impossible. Asuka Jr. quickly shook the thought out of his head yet it always appeared back there seconds later. Lately that girl had been on his mind so much.  
  
~*~  
  
They're only illusions And rainbows have nothing to hide So we've been told and some chose to Believe it  
  
~*~  
  
He had been feeling so sore, sore inside and out. But at this very moment, he felt sore in only one spot- his heart. Above him a few crystal droplets of rain dripped down onto the earth. At first it was light, a mere drizzle of cold rain that gently fell to the earth, making quiet pitter-patter sounds while they rolled off of leaves, soaking deep into the ground, nourishing the plants. Asuka Jr. was safe were he stood, hidden under the comforting leaves of a weeping willow but this didn't last long. Above the clouds erupted, opening up their marsh mellow bodies to allow thousands upon thousands of water droplets to pour down. With every impact on the ground, a shroud of mist would shoot up until the ground seemed to disappear within a gray mass. Asuka Jr. wasn't safe under the willow anymore as water dripped off the leaves, soaking into his clothing. He didn't care anymore though while his allowed his mind wandered. "What does it matter if I'm wet or not? What does it matter if Meimi is Saint Tail or not?" That single thought surprised him. All along he thought he was after the thief, after her identity, after her injustice acts...but what injustice acts had she committed? The girl had only been helping the weak, the poor, the preyed upon. This surprised him as he discovered this was the main reason he admired Saint Tail. She was somebody who was willing to stand up for those who were trampled on and taken advantage of just for their positions in life. Maybe she was just an illusion. He wasn't quite sure if there really was somebody like her out there, somebody as great as her. But maybe... maybe she just didn't have anything to hide. Maybe she was a person who stood up for what she believed in, which was justice for everyone. He truly looked up to her.  
  
~*~  
  
But I know they're wrong, wait and see Someday we'll find it The Rainbow Connection The lovers, the dreamers and me  
  
~*~  
  
Maybe that's all it was. Maybe all Asuka Jr. felt for the thief was admiration. He looked up to her and that was it. Meimi...she was another story. His heart stirred every time they had a confrontation, every time she called his name even if in anger. Maybe...maybe this warm feeling he felt was...was... "No! That could never be it!!" Asuka Jr. shook his head vigorously, causing his wet hair to fling out raindrops. As he thought about it more though, the idea seemed to make sense. It all came together, like a puzzle, the pieces fitting together perfectly. All he had to do was admit to it.  
  
"I look up to Saint Tail and...I l-love... Meimi..." He was surprised at himself as the words slipped out of his mouth, unknowing if he had actually said it or not. The slight breeze could have been playing tricks on him. A shiver ran down his spine as his clothing stuck to him, completely soaked with rain. So he did love Meimi but there was still something left. Something missing.  
  
Did she love him back?  
  
"No." He sorrowfully spat the words out with a strange form of spite. He hated the idea, the thought of even the slightest hint that she didn't return his feelings. It reached inside of him, gripping his heart and squeezing the life out of it. She always argued with him and made rude comments to him. She had to hate him. A few lone stars peeked out from behind the clouds, illuminating the darkness a tiny bit. Asuka Jr. glanced up at them, wondering if he dare make a wish on those shining stars, a wish for her to love him. Would it come true? Would a god somewhere in the sky hear him and answer his call? Would something listen? Would something understand? Would something grant his sole wish?  
  
The clouds shifted, blocking out the once-revealed stars. Blocking out his hope.  
  
~*~  
  
Who said that every wish Would be heard and answered When wished on the morning star? Somebody thought of that  
  
~*~  
  
Asuka Jr. was not crying. He wanted to, and felt all the symptoms of sobbing within him, but it was as if his tears were given to the skies and were shed along with the pouring rain. The ground was soaked beneath his feet, making standing even more unbearable in the already painful state- but Asuka Jr. could never complain. He cleared his mind for just one second, allowing the sound of the rain to fill his ears, feeling himself having been so close to erupting into a flood of tears, but instead deciding to keep composition, and so he stood tall. Asuka Jr. had no strength left in himself to stand tall and there was nothing to say that his heart didn't need mending, or his soul didn't feel torn. The patter of the rain began to grow dominance; almost echoing out his thoughts as he made a deal with himself. Even if she never loved him back, even if she never cared for him a single ounce, even if she turned her back on him and never spoke to him again, he would tell her he loved her.  
  
~*~  
  
Someone believed it And look what it's done so far What's so amazing That keeps us star gazing?  
  
~*~  
  
He would tell her he would understand if she didn't feel the same. He would tell her he wanted to be together with her, forever and that he could never forget about her, even if he tried. He would tell her as long as there were happy times, he would smile often and only for her. He would tell her he would do everything in his power to make her happy. And if she didn't return his feelings, if she didn't heed and listen to his words...then...he wouldn't care. He would still love her. He would still try to make her happy and would keep his feelings quiet, even if it hurt him in the end. As long as she was ok, that's all the mattered to him. The rain echoed in his ears.  
  
But no matter if the rain were to sound like the crashing of the waves or the fierceness of thunder, it could never drown out the sounds that so plagued his mind at that very moment.  
  
~*~  
  
And what do we think we might see? Someday we'll find it That Rainbow Connection The lovers the dreamers and me  
  
~*~  
  
A droplet of water lay upon Asuka Jr.'s cheek. A droplet that hadn't journeyed from the sky, that hadn't landed upon his face, that wasn't a kin of the rain. He had created that droplet in his reflections of his own emotions. He knew by the ache that overwhelmed him, by the tight clench his hand was in, by the way he tried to seize his chest from a lonesome wail- he had finally begun to cry.  
  
A ray of sunlight warmed Asuka Jr.'s cheek, sending it's golden light down to bask him in. Sending itself to dry him up a bit. His eyes slowly fluttered open, waking up from a deep sleep of thought. "Why do I want to capture Saint Tail any ways...?" He frowned, rubbing his aching temples. He felt so hot, as if his entire body was going up in flames and yet his thinking still managed to stay clear. "At first...I just wanted to catch her...I got excited when she appeared. But...I don't want anyone else to have her. Ever since that time..." His memory flicked back to an image of Meimi, making his heart ache with a longing pain. A pair of doves sung their sweet song, flying overhead to finally land on a tree branch, both side by side. "Uh oh!" The detective exclaimed as he glanced down at his watch suddenly. "I'm going to be late!!" He jumped up from his damp spot under the willow tree, sprinting back towards the sidewalk, running along the warm cement. Already morning traffic was beginning to pick up.  
  
~*~  
  
Have you been half-asleep and have you heard voices  
  
I've heard them calling my name Are these the sweet sounds that called The young sailors?  
  
~*~  
  
"I'm late!! I'm going to be late if I don't head for school right now!" He mentally yelled at himself, cursing as he stumbled down the paved walkway. Why did everything feel so...strange? So wavy? And why was he dizzy? His confusion cleared for a moment as he glanced up, drinking in the sight before him. There was a rainbow. A pure, simplistic array of colors that stretched out far across the sky.  
  
Sawatari's words echoed in his mind. "There's a treasure at the end of a rainbow."  
  
Asuka Jr. shook his head, trying to get rid of the thoughts that ate away at his mind. Why would he want to do something as silly as finding the end of a rainbow? If he didn't hurry he would be late for school, which was probably going to be starting very soon. What did he care of rainbows? He sighed while a tugging urge pulled him on, commanding him to follow this silken ribbon that lilted up in the sky. "I don't know what kingdom it was...but scientifically a rainbow doesn't have an end." His reasonable side tried to tell him but would he listen? No. His feet picked up on their own, leading him through sidewalks and pathways until he met the end. The blend of colors reached down towards the earth until it seemed to end right above a certain someone's head. Standing there innocently under the heavenly display was Meimi, her red hair neatly fixed while she stood proudly in her school uniform. How many times had Asuka Jr. seen her? Countless times yet every time he saw her again, he swore she grew even more beautiful.  
  
"There's a treasure at the end of a rainbow."  
  
Asuka Jr. had found his treasure and just in the nick of time.  
  
~*~  
  
I think they're one and the same I've heard it too many times to ignore it There's something that I'm supposed to be  
  
~*~  
  
Meimi's face suddenly became etched with worry as she ran towards him, taking in his drenched and dirty appearance.  
  
"What happened?" She stated fretfully, plainly showing concern in her eyes. She thought to herself, "Did he stay out in the rain all night?!"  
  
Asuka Jr.'s heart seemed for fly for a moment. Was there a slight chance she cared? A remote possibly she returned his feelings? Once again, the words repeated.  
  
"There's a treasure at the end of a rainbow..."  
  
"You're early." Asuka Jr. murmured, looking into her aqua eyes while debating what to do but it was so hard as his mind swam in chaos.  
  
Meimi frowned at the switch of subjects. Why was he avoiding her question? "I'm on day duty." She said. "But why are you...huh?!" Her hands shot to his side, gripping onto his cold, damp clothing as he collapsed forward, falling into her welcoming arms. "He's got a fever!!" The thought zoomed through her mind, making her concern grow larger. "Hold on!! I'll call your home!" She whispered to Asuka Jr., letting him stay in place with her. Strangely to Meimi, this felt so...so right, if it wasn't this kind of situation that is. She could feel the contours of his muscles as he leaned into her for support. Asuka Jr. was trying to memorize his feelings; to forever freeze this moment in his mind, for he knew this could be the last time, the only time that he could be in her arms. He took in her rich scent, letting her soft hair caress his face while he listened to her thudding heartbeat.  
  
And he knew he had to do it. It was now or never.  
  
"I love you." He whispered the words, uttering them so quietly, afraid if he spoke them too loud that they would break like glass. Afraid his own heart would break at her response, if she gave any at all. Asuka felt her take in a sharp breath, a breath of shock and disbelief. So he continued, pouring out his heart, his soul, his every emotion and he knew if he stopped talking, he would never be able to do this again. "I love you, Haneoka. I'm not kidding. I'm happy...when you're by my side. When...I can touch you. When I can...see you smile...I love you..."  
  
Meimi didn't know what to say. She was afraid her ears were deceiving her, feeding her lies, lies she wished were true. But this wasn't a trick. It would be too cruel to be a joke. Meimi had dreamed about this moment although she could never admit to it. She could never admit to it, that is, until now.  
  
"I'm sorry..." She murmured, her mind unable to work, the words unable to enter her mouth for the thoughts weren't connecting. A single tear escaped her eye, plummeting down her cheek.  
  
Asuka Jr. was confused. For a moment, she looked so joyful, so why was she apologizing? Was it for the stray pearl tear that was steaming down her cheek? Was she happy he loved her? Did she feel the same? A million thoughts rushed through his mind. Gently, tenderly, he reached up and brushed the tear away with his thumb. "No...you don't need to apologize." Suddenly, he was overcome with embarrassment as a crimson blush spread across his cheeks. "Um...uh...just...just so you know, I'm not doing anything like passing you gushy notes in class or buying you flowers. And I won't walk around school holding hands either. I don't want to fuss about birthdays and...Christmas...and Valentine's. I...." But his words were cut off short as Meimi latched herself onto his arm, burying her face in his already-soaked shirt while she allowed her tears to freely soak into it also.  
  
She smiled. A simple, genuine smile of pure joy. "It's okay." She spoke to him softly, allowing his heart to fly on wings with happiness. "I don't need any of that."  
  
Asuka Jr. grinned widely, his eyes soft with mirth.  
  
"I love you." Meimi whispered the frail words also, pouring her heart into them. They both had said three sincere words that meant so much to both of them.  
  
The two teenagers allowed themselves to melt into the serene, blissful silence; both lost to their own thoughts of love. Meimi kept a tender grip on Asuka Jr.'s shirt while he wrapped a strong, warm arm around her shoulders. And ever so slowly, they both stumbled towards the school, the rainbow still glistening colorfully behind them.  
  
~*~  
  
Someday we'll find it The Rainbow Connection The lovers, the dreamers and me  
  
~*~ 


End file.
